Window box construction



y 5, 1955 J. D. CLARKE WINDOW BOX CONSTRUCTION INVENTOR. Jo/zzz 17 Clarke,

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1953 July 5, 1955 J. o. CLARKE wmoow BOX CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1953 INVENTOR. JO/Z/Z fl fiar/ze,

United States Patent 4 O 2,712,382 WINDOW BOX CONSTRUCTION John D. Clarke, Wayne, 11]., assignor to Morrls Paper Mills, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application January 16, 1953, Serial No. 331,709 6 Claims. (Cl. 206-4531 The present invention relates to an improved paperboardarticle packaging box or carton of the window type, featuring a viewing opening in a' paperboard panel covered by a sheet of transparent window material.

It is a particular object of the invention toprovide an apertured window type carton which duplicates the appearance of a unit made from a laminated-sheet, i. e., having transparent sheeting laminated to a paperboard base, yet can be produced at a fraction of the cost and ditiiculty of assembling and laminating the component materials over the entire area of surface contact of the same.

More specifically, provide a window type packaging carton of the foregoing character, in which theefiect of a transparencylaminated construction is obtained verysimply by the stripe gluing of transparent sheeting to a previously apertured paperboard carton blank, and by the folding and adhesive securement of certain flaps of the thus covered blank to stretch the transparent sheet material about corner margins and thereby heighten the cartons simulation of a truly laminated product.

Another object of the invention is to provide a window carton featuring a transparency-covered viewing opening of the sort described above which is diedout in a carton top panel, to which panel further side and end wall forming panels are hingedly conjoined, the died out opening extending partially into these end and side wall forming panels to further expose merchandise packaged in the carton, yet at the same time leaving top panel corner webs integrally joining the erected sideand end walls, and thus substantially rigidifying the carton as a whole by vertical corner column action.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a window carton characterized by a sheet of transparent material applied in a novel and improved manner to a window-apertured blank, so as to extend across a top window panel, downwardly along end and side wall panels and onto certain bottom forming panels appended to the latter, as well as onto certain flaps hinged on other bottom forming flaps, all in a manner to stretch the transparent sheet taut and at the same time betterseal the carton interior, by binding the sheet around panel and flap margins and by inwardly gusset folding the same at carton corners.

Yet another still more specific object is to provide a carton of the character described in the preceding paragraph, wherein the fiaps onto which the transparent sheet is extended are folded through 180 relative to the bottom forming panels which carry the flaps and are adhesively secured to the latter.

A further object is to provide a blank for the production of an article packaging box or carton of the sort described above.

The foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention. Other and more specific objects will be apparent to those skilled in the it is an object of the invention to art upon a full understanding of the construction and mode of use of the carton.

A single embodiment of the invention is presented herein for purpose of illustration. It will be appreciated I that the invention may be incorporated in other modified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing a suitable died out paperboard blank with a sheet of transparent window material stripe-glued thereto in accordance with the invention, the transparent sheet being partially broken awayto better show the relationship of the two parts;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the blank of Fig. 1

following folding and gluing of certain flaps thereof to bring the article to a semi-complete, knock-down condition requiring only further manual manipulation to complete a package, this view also being partially broken away to illustrate the adhesive flap connection referred to; I

,Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom perspective view illustrating an initial manipulation of the carton in the article packaging operation;

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the carton in a further stage of manipulation toward completed and closed condition;

Fig. 5 is also a bottom perspective view showing the completed carton, but in an inverted position; and

Fig. 6 is a top perspective view of the appearance of the carton in proper display position.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, the improved window carton or died out blank 10 of flexible paperboard stock and a rectangular sheet of transparent material, such as regenerated cellulose, chlorinated rubber or the like, designatedll. The main body portion of the blank, generally designated 12, is cross-shaped in general outline, being subdivided (as viewed in Fig. l) by parallel vertical creases-13 and parallel horizontal creases 14 to define top margins of a pair of side Wall panels 15 and a pair of-end wall panels 16, respectively.

Blank body 12 is internally died out to provide a large window opening 17 of diamond-like octagonal outline. This opening extends well into the respective side and end wall panels 15, 16, its vertical edges 18 paralleling creases 13, its horizontal edges 19 paralleling creases 14, and its diagonal edges 20, which connect those creases, defining the inner edges of four triangular corner webs 21, otherwise bounded by creases 13, 14. The shape of viewing opening17 may of course be altered, which will produce an attendant alteration in the shape of the webs 21, however, regardless of their shape or size, these webs may be considered to constitute a top panel, or its equivalent, of carton body 12, and this panel is generally designated 22 for convenience.

Pairs of bottom marginal creases 23, 24 extend vertically and horizontally, respectively, in parallelism with creases 13, 14 to complete a rectangular outline of the to blank body 12 by means of creases 23, 24. These include a wide bottom forming panel 25 adjoining the left-hand vertical crease 23, a narrower rectangular bottom forming panel 26 adjoining the other crease 23, and a pair of like end bottom flaps 27 adjoining creases 24.

Panel 25 has a pair of relatively large reinforcing and sheet stretching flaps 28 integrally hinged to opposite ends thereof by extensions 14' of body creases 14, and the opposed bottom forming panel 26 is also provided with.

end flap extensions 29, which are integrally hinged by extensions 14".ofcreases 14. i

In completing the improved carton or packaging unit,

l atnted July 5, 1955 packaging unit is made up of a shaped,

shown in Fig. 2 in itscollapsed, knocked-down condition,

blank. 10. isv passed. through av folding and gluingmachine plied to cross the width of end" bottom flaps 27, our-- wardly of the creases 2 4 which hinge those flaps to end wall panels 16. The rectangular transparent sheet 11 isnow applied to the blank. by means of adhesive stripes 3t), 31 and 32, it being noted that the length and'widthof. thesheet are sutiicient to extend the same somewhat outwardly of the gluestripes, i. e., well into the several bottom end flaps and panel flap extensions; No adhesive is applied to? top panel 2% side wall panels 15 orend wall panels 16; thus avoiding defacement of the transparent panel. sheath constituted by sheet 11.

Adhesive 33 is next applied'toi the lower'surface of'th'e flaps 28. and flap extensions 29, as'viewedlin Fig. 2, rotlowing which these flaps and extensions, together: with unglued end wall panels 16 and conjoined bottom form-- ingifiaps 2.7, are folded bodily 180 about the creases and'creasc extensions 14, 14' and14." to the position of:v

Fig. 2. Flaps 28, 29- are thus adhesively secured'to respective, wider and narrower bottomv forming panels 25, 26.

Fig. 2 shows the completed article in an inverted fiat, knocked-down condition, ready for the receptionof its intended contents, the transparent window material underlying viewing opening 17.

In completing the carton package, side and'end walls 15, 16 are first folded 90 about the respective creases'13, 14, defining top panel 22. Side wall panels 15 and appended bottom forming members. 25, 26 aremoved inwardly and upwardly in unison, and end wall panels 16 and appended end bottom flaps 27 are moved outwardly and upwardly in unison, to the position shown in. Fig. 3. The four panels are manually retained, or may be held in-asuitable fixture, in upstanding position as the carton is filled. Triangular inturned corner gussets 34: are

automatically formed in thetransparent sheeting material 11 in marginally diedout zones of the blankbetween the stripes of adhesive 32, 30 and 32, 31 on flaps 27, 28 and 29, the adhered zones themselves guiding the gusset halvesto place. the-triangular webs 21 of effectively.

The intended bulk commodity or other articles ofmerchandise, illustrated inFigs. 4, S and 6 and designated A, are then deposited in the carton as in Fig. 4, whereuponzits end and side. bottom forming flaps 27, 26 and 25- are sequentially folded inwardly and downwardly in thenarned order, the last folded flap being securedby a a suitable adhesive or other means (not shown) to adjoining underlying areas of the other three flaps. In the folding of bottom forming panels 25, 26, the gussets 34 are compounded by a further gusset fold 35 in reverse relation. Accordingly, thecorners of thebottom'of thecarton shown inverted or upside downinFig; 5, arejust asefiectively gusset sealed as are the topicornersycomminuted materials may be carried. in the sealed carton,v

shown in its proper, window-up positionin Fig. 6, with out danger of leakage.

Thecompleted, filled and sealedcarton makes avery attractive package.

14.-' A large volume ofthe'interiorisexposed' tovicw,

panelsare attractively finished inexact duplicationofan expensive transparency-laminated carton body.

Thus .the corners of the carton adjoining. inverted top panelZZ are-sealed its corners are braccd'stifilyby the column-action. of side and end walls integrally connected. by corner webs 21 along related creases 13,

I claim:

l. A packaging. unit. fabricatedfromvv a flexible. paper.- board blank and a transparent sheet, said blank including a top panel having pairs of side and end wall panels hingedly connected by creases to opposed side and end margins thereof, bottom forming members integrally connected by hinge creases to bottom margins of said side wall panels, bottom forming flaps integrally connected by hinge creases. to bottom marginsofsaid end wall panels, flap-like end extensions integrally connected to said bottom forming members by hinge-creases at a right angle to the creases connecting said members to said sidewall panels, and an outer sheet of flexible transparent m'aterialcovering the outer surface of said top, side wall and endiwall'panels, saidsheet'being adhesively secured to the outer surface of said bottom forming flaps and flap extensions only, said flap extensions being foldable inwardly toward and adhesively secured to said bottom forming members: to flex said sheet tautly across. said. panels and around. opposed end .margins' of" said members:

A packagingrunit fabricated from a flexible paper-'- connected by hinge: creases to bottom margins of said side wall: panels, bottom forming flaps integrally connected by hinge creases to bottom margins of said end wall panels, flap-like end extensions integrally connected to said' bottom forming members by hinge creases at a right angle to the creases connecting said members to said side wall panels, and an outer sheet of flexible transparent-material: covering the outer surface of said top, side wall and end wall panels, said sheet being adhesively secured to the outer surface of said bottom forming fiapsand fiapextensionsonly by means of longi tudinal and transverse adhesive stripes paralleling the bottom'hinges-ofsaid. members and flaps, said flap extensions being foldable" 180 inwardly toward and adhesively secnred to'said bottom. forming members to flex said-sheet tautly across said. panels and around opposed end'margins' ofisaid members.

3. Aip'ackaging'unit fabricated from a fiexiblepapcrboard blank and atransparcnt sheet, said blank includ inga to'pi panel having'pairs-of side and end wall panels hinge'd lycon nect'ed"by creasesto' opposed side and end margins thereof, said 'toppanel being provided with a wall panels, bottom forming members integrally connectedbyhingecreases to bottom margins of said sidewall panels; bottom forming flapsintegrally connected:

by'hinge creases to bottom margins of said end'wall panels, flap-like end extensions integrally connected to said bottom forming members by hinge creases at a riglit a-ngle'to the creases connecting said members to' said side wall panels, and an outersheet of flexible transparent material' covering the outer surface of said window-aperture and said top; sidewall and' end wall panels,.saidf sheet being adhesively' secured to the outer surface of said bottom forming:flaps and flap extensions only,-.said:.fiap extensionsbcin'g foldable 180 inwardly toward andadhesively secured to'said bottom forming members-toiieX sa-idsheet tautly across said. panels and around. opposed end margins-Tof said. members.

4.- A-packagingjunit. in accordance-with. claim 3;.in

which said blank has marginalrecesses of. substantialsize spacing said bottom memberend extensions? and said respectiveend wall panels and the bottom forming; flaps of the latter, said transparent sheet bridgingsaid recesses to provide flexible gusset material foldable on itselftofiprovide corner gussets forv the unit.

5'. A packaging unitf fabricatedfr'om. a flexible paperboard blank and a transparent sheet, said blank including a top panel having pairs of side and end wall panels hingedly connected by creases to opposed side and end margins thereof, said top panel being provided with a window aperture extending longitudinally and laterally into the material of said side Wall panels and leaving corner Webs integrally connected by said creases to said wall panels, bottom forming members integrally connected by hinge creases to bottom margins of said side Wall panels, bottom forming flaps integrally connected by hinge creases to bottom margins of said end wall panels, flap-like end extensions integrally connected to said bottom forming members by hinge creases at a right angle to the creases connecting said members to said side wall panels, and an outer sheet of flexible transparent material covering the outer surface of said window aperture and said top, side wall and end Wall panels, said sheet being adhesively secured to the outer surface of said bottom forming flaps and flap extensions only by means of longitudinal and transverse adhesive 20 2568170 stripes paralleling the bottom hinges of said members and flaps, said flap extensions being foldable 180 inwardly toward and adhesively secured to said bottom forming members to flex said sheet tautly across said' panels and around opposed end margins of said members.

' 6. A packaging unit in accordance with claim 5, in which said blank has marginal recesses of substantial size spacing said bottom member end extensions and said respective end wall panels and the bottom forming flaps or" the latter, said transparent sheet bridging said recesses to provide flexible gusset material foldable on itself to provide corner gussets for the unit, the ends of said longitudinal and transverse adhesive stripes controlling folding of said gussets relative to said end extensions and bottom forming flaps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,013,227 Wilson Sept. 3, 1935 Ringler Sept. 18, 1951 

